Script timing device



@ 193% R. J. comm ZAWEWI "SCRIPT TIMING DEVICE Filed May 8, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

ay M3 1933 a, COMM 2fi1i,@7

SCRIPT TIMING DEVICE Filed May 8, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May HQ, @933. l R J, COLIN 2,116,597

SCRIPT TIMING DEVICE Filed May 8, 1936 SSheets-Sheet 3 @I; mm

Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCRIPT TIMING DEVICE Bay Jay Colin, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 8, 1936, Serial No. 78,536

Claims. (01. rev-s1) The present invention relates in general to a timing device and is more particularly concerned with an improved device for timing the script of a speaker or the like, whereby a speaker may 5 be assured that this speech will be concluded at a predetermined time or that the speech will be delivered within the time allotted therefor.

While the herein described invention has been considered primarily in its use in connection with the deliverance of a speech or address, it will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention is not to be specifically limited to such use as it may be utilized with equal facility for other purposes, such, for example,

as for timing the rendition of a musical score and the like.

In radio broadcast stations, programs are arranged to run for a predetermined period of time. It is imperative that a given program be started exactly on time and terminated-exactly at the end of the time which has been set aside or allotted therefor. This means that every portion of the program must be carried out according to a definite time schedule.

The present practice, for example, where a speech is to be delivered, is to time the speaker before hand so that a general idea may be gained as to the time it will take the speaker to deliver the speech. Such a procedure is at most a makeshift and makes it diflicult to prepare a definite time schedule, since a speaker during the actual broadcast may talk faster or slower than when his speech was initially timed. Consequently, the entire schedule may be thrown off with the result that some parts 01' the program might have to be omitted or other numbers might have to be added in order to fill up the time allotted for the program.

With a view to rectifying the foregoing condition, the present invention contemplates a device for timing the script or musical score of a speaker, or musician so that the speech, music, or.

55 moved at a predetermined speed, this speed being dependent upon the time allotted to the speaker for his speech.

A still further object resides in the provision of a device which will obviate the necessity of a speaker having to thumb through a plurality 5 of sheets of paper containing his speech, as the speech is delivered, but which will on the other hand successively present the script lines to the view of the speaker at a speed which will assure the speech being delivered within the time al- 10 lotted. With such a device, the speaker's mind is not distracted from his speech, and there is no possibility of the speech being interrupted by the dropping-of papers or the like.

It is also an object to provide a device of the 15 character described which is simple of construction, easy of operation, and efiicient in operation.

In accordance with the general features of 'the invention, it. is proposed to provide a portable device which in its broad conception includes a 20 casing having a viewing window through which the speaker may observe the longitudinal movement of a strip of indicia bearing material which is moved at such a speed as to assure that the speech or address will be delivered within an 25 allotted interval of time.

The entire speech is printed on the longitudinally movable strip and wound on a feed roller. From the feed roller, the strip is wound onto a take-up roller as the speech is being delivered.

A novel driving arrangement is provided by using a driving roller which is connected to power means such as an electric motor, the driving roller being arranged to be engaged by the strip of material, when the strip is pressed into 35 engagement therewith by meansof another roller which is supported for movement towards and away from the drive roller. For convenience, cam means are provided for controlling the position of the pressing roller so that movement of 40 the strip may in cases of emergency be discontinued by the speaker at will.

As a further feature of the invention, a digitally operable button or dial is mounted externally of the casing in a convenient position for manipulation by the speaker to vary the speed of the indicia bearing strip. This button or dial is connected to a speed change mechanism, in this case a disk drive, which may be actuated to increase or decrease the speed of movement of the driving roller and consequently the strip of material, whenever it is desired to speak faster or slower.

Other objects and features or the invention will more fully appear from the following de- 5 tailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a single embodiment thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a script timing device embodying the principles of the herein described invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal section taken through the device for showing the cooperative relationship of the associated parts thereof, the section being taken substantially on the line H-II of Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the device, taken substantially on line III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail view showing the driving connection for the take-up roller;

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the details of the driving connection for the driving roller;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line VI-VI of Figure 2 in order to show the details of the mounting and drive for the take-up roller; and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the removable connections for the take-up roller, taken substantially on line VII-VII of Figure 6.

As shown on the drawings:

As shown in Figure 1 on the drawings, the device of the present invention is housed in a boxlike casing generally indicated at II]. This casing is separated into two transversely extending compartments I I and I2 by a partition I3. The compartment I I has the power mechanism therein for driving the script moving mechanism which is housed in compartment I2.

Compartment I2 is provided with a hinged cover I3 which is pivoted for swinging movement along a line substantially coinciding with the partition I3. The cover for this compartment is vertically offset as shown at I l to provide spaced parallel surfaces I5 and IS, the former normally lying in the plane of the top of the power compartment and the latter being disposed below the surface I5.

The surface I6 is provided with a rectangular opening I'I extending transversely of the cover to form a window which is fitted with a magnifying glass I8. The offset portion I4 of the cover is formed to define a hood I9 under which an illuminating medium such as an electric light 20 is supported for illuminating the view through the magnifying glass I8.

Directly below the window in the cover, there is disposed a platform 2| having its lateral edge portions downwardly deflected a small amount to form rounded edges. This platform is deflected at its ends to form depending end portions 22 to enable securing the platform to vertical frame members, which may be accomplished by screws 23.

The platform 2| is spaced a slight distance from the undersurface of the cover defining the window in order to permit a strip 24 of indicia bearing material, such as paper or the like, on which may be printed the speech of a speaker, to pass over the platform between the window and the platform's upper surface.

On opposite sides of the window, there is disposed a feed roller 25 and a take-up roller 26. These rollers are provided with slots 2I-to permit the ends of the indicia bearing strip to be threaded into the rollers so that when the rollers are turned, the strip will be unwound from the feed roller and wound on the take-up roller.

The feed roller and take-up roller are rotatably mounted in spaced frame members 28 and 29 which are inwardly spaced from the sides of the casing and extend longitudinally of the compartment I2. Each of these frame members is outwardly deflected along its bottom edge portion to form a right angled flange 30 which is riveted or otherwise secured to the bottom of the casing.

The feed roller and take-up roller are of similar construction so that they may be used interchangeably. Referring to Figure 6, the take-up roller, for example, at one end is provided with a circular short shaft 30 having a contracted extension 3| which is removably disposed for rotation in a bearing 32 supported on the frame member 28.

The opposite end of the roller is similarly provided with a short shaft 33 which is of square cross-section rather than circular cross-section. The short shaft 33 is removably supported for rotation with a shaft extension member 34 which is rotatably mounted for rotational movement in frame member 29.

' The shaft extension is formed with a head portion 35 which is cut out to form a socket 36 which is opened on one side and the top so as to permit the passage of the short shaft 33 thereinto, when the roller is moved with a swinging movement about short shaft 3I as a pivot from a tilted position. This socket is provided with straight side portions so that when the shaft is supported therein, the short shaft 33 and shaft extension 34 may be rotated as a unit. In order to retain the short shaft 33 within the socket, one side of the socket is provided with a slot 31 within which the free end of a spring detent 38 is disposed, the other end of this spring being anchored as shown at 37 to the head portion of the shaft extension. It will be observed that the free end of the spring detent is V-shaped and projects into the socket, thereby enabling the seating and unseating of the short shaft 33 in the socket by the exertion of slight force, but preventing movement of the short shaft out of the socket during the operation of the roller.

Surrounding the shaft extension and disposed on the portion of the extension outside of the frame member 29, a circular collar 39 is secured to the shaft extension by a key 39 This collar at its inner end is in abutting engagement with the frame member 29 and has its outermost end formed to define a disk surface. Integrally formed as a part of the shaft extension is a contracted portion 40 upon which there is slidably mounted a pulley 4 I. Disposed between the pulley and the disk surface of the bollar 39 is a spring washer 42 having a plurality of angularly spaced arms which engage at their outer ends the disk surface of collar 39 and at their junctures unite to engage the pulley 4|. The pulley 4| is actuated against the spring washer by means of an expansion coil spring 43 having one end bearing against the pulley and its other end against an abutment washer 44 which is secured to the portion 40 of the shaft extension in any appropriate manner. The outermost end of the shaft extension extends beyond the washer 44 and is of substantially square cross-section. This end is clearly shown at 45.

The feed roller 25 is similarly mounted, except that in this case there is no pulley or spring on the shaft extension. Since movement of the strip of indicia bearing material is accomplished through means shortly to be described, a slight drag should be provided in the case of the feed roller so that it will not overrun. For this puring engagementwith the contracted portion 40 of the shaft extension 34 associated with the feed roller.

The strip of indicia bearing material is longitudinally moved past the window by means of a driving roller 41. This roller is disposed on the opposite side of the platform 2| from the feed roller 25 and is rotatably supported at its ends in the spaced frame members 28 and 29. The roller is preferably covered with a layer of rubber or other suitable material for assuring a good gripping engagement of the roller with the strip of indlcia bearing material. It will be noted that the plane of the strip as it passes from the platform 2| is the same as that of the platform and engages the driving roller tangentially.

During the driving of the strip, the strip is pressed into engagement with the driving roller by means of a pressing roller 49 which is likewise provided with an outer covering of rubber or other suitable material. v

The pressing roller is rotatably supportedat its ends in a pair of pivoted arms 50 and these arms having their corresponding ends rotatably supported on the bearings 32 and collar 39 associated with the take-up roller.

The arms 50 and 5| are normally impelled by tension springs 52 and 53 in such a direction as to move the pressing rollers toward the driving roller. Since the strip of indicia bearing material is disposed between these two rollers, it will be evident that the stripwiil be normally disposed in engagement with the driving roller. Moreover, the plane of movement of the strip as it is wound on the take-up roller is upwardly inclined so that if the pressing roller is moved away from the driving roller, the strip will move out of engagement with the driving roller and consequently its movement will stop.

Control of the movement of the strip is accom-.-' plished by moving the pressing roller towards or away from the driving roller. For this purpose,

' there is provided a transverse rod or shaft 53* which is rotatably mounted in the frame members 28 and 29, and has one end extended to the exterior of the housing, where it is provided with a thumb lever 54 by means of which the shaft may selectively be rotated in opposite directions. Associated with each of the arms 5|! and 5| is a cam 55 which bears against the lower edge of its associated arm. The face of this cam is so arranged that when the thumb lever 54 is pressed downwardly, the arms 50 and 5| will'be moved in a direction to" carry the pressing roller away from the drive roller so as to interrupt movement of the strip of indicia bearing material. To release the roller so that it may be moved under the action of springs 52 and 53 into engagement with the upper surface of the strip and'press the strip against the driving roller, it is only necessary to move the thumb lever in an upward direction.

The shaft at one end of the pressing roller is provided with a pulley 56. This pulley is connected to a belt 51 which is trained over the pulley 4i associated with the take-up roller. With this arrangement, the take-up roller will be rotated only when the pressing roller is being moved or when the strip is being driven.

The driving roller 41 is supported in the frame members 28 and 29 and at one end carries a worm wheel 58 which is driven by a worm 59 on shaft 50; this shaft being supported in a suitable bearing I secured to frame member 2|. The other end of shaft I has a worm wheel 52 which is driven by a worm 53 secured to the end of shaft 64, this shaft extending transversely of the power compartment II and being rotatably supported in suitable bearings 85 and 85 secured to the partition i5.

r The other end of the shaft 54 has a disk 81 mounted thereon for sliding movement longitudinally on the shaft but restrained against relative rotational movement on the shaft. This disk has its surface engaging aright angularly disposed larger disk 58 on the driving shaft 69 of an electric motor 10. The disk 68 is longitudinally slidable on the shaft 69 and is resiliently impelled by a spring ll against the disk 61. By sliding the' disk 51 along the shaft 64, the point of engagement between the disks is moved closer or farther away from the center of disk 68, whereby the speed at which the driving roller is rotated may be decreased or increased as desired.

For actuating the disk 61 along the shaft 64, manually operable means of adjustment are provided. A shifting fork 12 has one end associated with the disk 61 and is supported at its other end on an internally threaded nut 13 which is in threaded engagement with a screw 14, this screw being supported at its end portions by suitable bearings 15 and IS on the partition l3. One end of this screw is extended through the wall of the casing and is provided with a digitally operable dial member 11.

being pivoted intermediate its ends as at 81 for swinging movement. One end of this arm carries an idler pulley 82 which is normally held in engagement with the belt 51 for driving the takeup roller by means of a tension spring 83 having one end connected to the other end of the arm 80 and its other end anchored as at 84 to the connecting flange at the bottom of frame member 29. The belt member just described will operate to maintain the belt 51 suitably tight during swinging movement of the pressing roller.

Should the power means for driving the driving roller,'for some reason, become damaged or inoperative, emergency operation of the device is accomplished through manually operable driving means. In alignment with the square ends 45 of the shaft extensions of the feed roller and take-up roller, there is provided in each case an auxiliary driving shaft 85 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing support 86 on the associated side wall on the casing. One end of the auxiliary driving shaft 85 is provided with a socketed head 81 which is arranged to fit over the square end 45 of the associated shaft extension. The other end of the auxiliary shaft 85 is provided with an operating crank 88. The auxiliary driving shaft is normally disengaged relative to the shaft extension by means of an expansion spring 89 surrounding the bearing 85 and shaft 85 with one end bearing against the wall of the eas- Referring to Figure 4, there is pivotally mount- 7 ed on the frame member 29 an arm 80, this arm ing and its other end bearing against the crank where it is connected to the shaft. By pressing the crank towards the casing, the auxiliary driv ing shaft may be connected to the associated roller and this roller may be turned to cause forward movement of the strip when the take-up roller is actuated, or in the case of the crank associated with the feed roller, by turning the roller in reverse direction, the strip may be wound on the feed roller.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the herein described invention provides an improved script timing device wherein the script or indicia bearing strip is moved at a predetermined speed; which embodies novel means for controlling the speed of the strip bearing indicia; which assures the speaker or other operator completing his speech or the like within the time allotted; which is provided with auxiliary manually operable means for moving the script during emergency conditions such as failure of the main driving mechanism; which obviates the inconvenience of having manually to turn a plurality of sheets during the deliverance of an address or the like; and a device which is simple of construction, simple to operate, and efficient in operation.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, a casing having a window therein, a strip of indicia bearing material movable longitudinally past said window, a drive roller on one side of the strip, a spring pressed roller on the opposite side of the strip for pressing the strip against the drive roller to cause movement of the strip, and manually actuated means for moving the spring pressed roller away from the drive roller for stopping the movement of the strip.

2. In a device of the character described, a casing having a window therein, a pair of rollers within said casing having relative movement into and out of engagement, a strip of indicia bearing material disposed for longitudinal movement between said rollers, whereby the indicia thereon may be brought into view through said window, means for driving one of said rollers, and means for selectively moving the other of said rollers towards and away from the driven roller for causing movement and non-movement of the strip by the driven roller.

3. In a device of the character described, a casing having a window therein, a pair of rollers within said casing having relative movement into and out of engagement, a strip of indicia bearing material disposed for longitudinal movement between said rollers, whereby the indicia thereon may be brought into view through said window, means for driving one of said rollers, means for selectively moving the other of said rollers towards and away from the driven roller for causing movement and non-movement of the strip by the driven roller, and means operable from the exterior of the casing for controlling the speed of movement of the strip.

4. A script timing device comprising a casing having a window therein, a strip of indicia bearing material movable longitudinally past said Window, a drive roller, a second removably mounted roller operable to press the strip into engagement with the drive roller, a take-up roller for receiving the strip that has been moved past the'window,

positive driving means for the driving roller, a

friction drive connection between the second roller and the take-up roller, and means for moving the second roller into strip pressing and strip nonpressing positions to cause simultaneous movement and non-movement of the strip and take-up roller.

5. In a device of the character described, a longitudinally movable strip of indicia bearing material, a take-up roller onto which said strip is wound, a driving roller, a presser roller, said strip being trained between the driving and presser rollers, connection means for driving said take-up roller from the presser roller, and means for shifting the presser roller to control the movement of the strip by the driving roller.

RAY JAY COLIN. 

